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The original "turtle" bottle (la tortue) was commissioned to the Baccarat studio in 1914 [ed.note: Vogue puts it as 1913] to celebrate the change of address to 68, Champs-Elysées to hold the appropriately named Parfum de Champs-Elysées. The scent was composed by legendary perfumer Jacques Guerlain. The shape of the turtle was an inside joke on the protracted construction work that it took to complete the new beauty shrine.
Today Guerlain re-unites with Baccarat to issue a contemporary "turtle" bottle, the 4th re-issue* since its original opus, to house the new Petite Tortue perfume. The new tortoise like crystal design follows the craftsmanship of the famed house. The crystal is faceted into more than 80 facets to shed light from all angles and holds 60 ml/ 2 fl.oz.
Guerlain Petite Tortue is an extrait de parfum composed by in house perfumer Thierry Wasser. The scent of Petite Tortue is a spicy floral woody which opens with mandarin and pink pepper into a heart of osmanthus blossoms and fruits accord. The base of Petite Tortue is rounded with incense, vanilla and tonka beans recalling the tradition of Guerlain perfumes.
Les Dames de Table are responsible for the finishing touches of the special presentation: the enamel cap holder can be accessorized with the customer's initials; in a choice of color and with a golden rim.
The special edition of Petite Tortue is presented internationally by Guerlain in only 47 numbered bottles, each retailing at a whooping € 9500.
*The last time Guerlain re-issued the "turtle" (or sometimes referred to as tortoise online) bottle it held Extrait du 68 (an increased concentration of Cologne du 68 fragrance by Guerlain)
EDIT TO ADD: New information from Fragrantica suggests the Petite Tortue scent is indeed Extrait du 68.
Related reading on Perfume Shrine:
The Guerlain series: Guerlain News & Perfume Reviews
The bottle is beautiful, when does it become about the bottle rather than the scent? & bet you I'd drop & smash it - that's an insane amount of money.
ReplyDeleteAll the Guerlain LE for the Russian market (or Middle East, less so though, these, because it's the Russians who are blinded by Guerlain) are all about the bottle. The jus is usually some re-orchestration/re-issue of existing things.
DeleteIt's beautiful- only for the woman who already has everything!
ReplyDeleteIt is. But no reason to weep over not owning it. For the woman who already has everything is a great observation! :-D
DeleteI think Polly Bergen, the actress, was used to advertise this fragrance. I could be wrong (it wouldn't be the first time!).
ReplyDeleteWhat a funny inside joke--thank you! jean xox
That's her own celebrity perfume. Next post is for you, Jean :-)
DeleteHoly guacamole! that's serious spondulicks.
ReplyDeleteUnicorn tears indeed.
cheerio, Anna in Edinburgh
I don't know. It personally seems extremely crass (and undesirable) to me. It's like hanging a bank cheque on your ears or your neck. Vulgar.
DeleteOne might conclude that there are still 47 Russian oligarchs buying Guerlain (or perhaps some oligarchs will buy more than one).
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is, I bet this is IFRA compliant.
Exactly! As usual we see eye to eye.
DeleteMmmmmm...... better go and get a lottery ticket! LOL
ReplyDeleteDon't think these are for lottery ticket winners either; they usually have the good sense to buy more practical things. Like a car or a summer house or something.
DeleteWhy am I getting the impression that Guerlain is cannibalizing its history? I totally don't mind creating glass objets d'art, there are certainly dedicated collectors, nor do I mind catering to very special public with bespoke fragrances. But let that be original objets d'art, not quadrilobe bottle with extra trinket or tortue bottle in smaller size, the hell.
ReplyDeleteAnd let us, the dirty masses, have the juices in whatever cheap decanters. I bet that if just now, a bottle of Djedi is on fleabay for around GBP 900 and rising, there's a buck or two to earn and a few more of the old ones like Guerlarose for similarly insane money. Make it by buckets, dear Guerlain, you'll make the stockholders happy at the end. (Okay, I repeat myself. I know.)
Hi L!!
DeleteBecause they totally are.
My feeling is this isn't even for the collectors because the glass reproduction, beautiful though it may be, comes with a jus that has been concocted to appeal to those who buy contemporary perfume. If it was truly intended for hardcore collectors it would be filled with something approximating the old perfume. This is a very expensive gift some Russian plutocrat will gift to the Playboy bunny of the day in order to gain her graces. Or something to go into the diplomat sac as a "thank you" from someone to someone else...
The insane money asked for once decent but now extremely old juice (which has surely spoiled by now with infinitely few exceptions) is accountable to the online craze of enabling, the disillusionment with current perfumery and the undying desire to be defiant (as if we Davids are battling the Goliath of the LV machine, "take this, LV, we don't need you to churn out dross"). Of course after owning any such thing, said collector doesn't actually wear the thing and sells it at a markup to the next identical "collector". So I think LV is laughing all the way to the bank no matter what WE do.
It's their ball game.